University courses that yield the highest wages

Going to college is one of life’s most significant milestones, which can help you carve out your career path. Hence, choosing your college course is one of the most crucial decisions you will make at this age as it allows you to learn new skills and worldviews, follow your passion, and prepare yourself for the future.

A good education is a serious investment. With the amount of effort, time, and money you spend pursuing a degree, it’s only right that you consider how you can get a return from this investment. While many factors can play into your choices for college, an important aspect to consider is the quantity and quality of career opportunities you may come across after graduation. For many, landing a high-paying job is an important motivator as it secures your future.

Certain university courses offer more career opportunities and higher compensation than others. If you want to start preparing for your financial future as early as now, take a look at which courses lead to lucrative careers.

Accounting or Statistics

As long as businesses need to keep their finances in order, there will always be a high demand for Certified Public Accountants. A starting salary for a fresh accounting graduate ranges from 19,000 to 25,000 pesos. Naturally, you can expect your salary to increase as you continue to gain more experience and skills.

Computer Programmer or IT/Web Designer

In this digital age, computer-savvy and digital professionals are in high demand. If you’re a coder, IT expert, or software engineer, expect a starting salary of at least PHP30,000—other more established companies offer even better compensation than that. The need to secure digital data and maintain a credible and effective presence online has now become a necessity, so you can expect companies to want to get the best IT team they can afford.

Engineering

Cities don’t build themselves. Engineering is a lucrative course simply because of the important jobs that licensed engineers perform. From buildings and bridges to roads and malls—none of these structures get built without an engineer at the helm. If you plan on taking up this college course, expect to be paid a starting salary of PHP 25,000 after you pass the bar. You can also strike out on your own, once you get enough experience and get paid even more per project.

Journalism

While media work is not always top of mind when it comes to lucrative professions, being a journalist is now more exciting than ever—especially with new media platforms and technology that can further enhance your practice.

Budding journalists will have to take up a degree in journalism, broadcast communication, or other related college courses. You’re going to have to put in the work, chasing leads and writing stories, but once you find your niche and establish your credibility and reputation, it won’t be long before you start reaping the rewards of the job.

Business Management

While business management may sound like a generic college course to take up, graduates who are naturally good at business and know how to maximize their degrees to the fullest can land lucrative careers. Business owners still need great business managers especially for growing enterprises, which is why they hire people to run their companies for them. Business management graduates can also end up in the finance world as brokers, which are one of the highest-paying jobs in the country.

Advertising/Multimedia

Who says there’s no money in the creative industry? Creatives can make it big in the real world—and choosing the right college course provides a strong start.

A junior art director for an ad agency can easily earn over PHP 20,000, while experienced art directors can receive an average of PHP 69,286. People who can make advertising and marketing campaigns are highly valued because they boost sales and help the business do better overall. It may not be technical or scientific, but it certainly is challenging. It also requires expertise because enticing people to engage with a business involves understanding their behavior and psychology as consumers.

In choosing the right college course, it is important to take note of your own strengths and talents as well as the wealth of opportunities you may receive in the future. College is a serious yet worthwhile investment – and one other investment plan that allows you to become set for life is FWD’s Short Term Cover Set For Tomorrow. Designed to ease your financial load and cushion any sudden setbacks, this flexible investment plan can be convertible in five or 10 years. What’s more, if you’re ready for a longer commitment, you can easily adjust it to become a permanent plan without going through all the paperwork again!